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It’s the perfect time to experience art inside and out. Each month we invite you to stroll with us through magnificent buildings and streets to enjoy the beauty of Downtown and the art created by our[...]

It’s the perfect time to experience art inside and out. Each month we invite you to stroll with us through magnificent buildings and streets to enjoy the beauty of Downtown and the art created by our[...]

It’s the perfect time to experience art inside and out. Each month we invite you to stroll with us through magnificent buildings and streets to enjoy the beauty of Downtown and the art created by our[...]

The Atlanta City Council’s Finance/Executive Committee will receive a briefing Wednesday on the proposal to construct a new retractable roof, multi-purpose stadium that will serve as home of the Atlanta Falcons NFL team and will host numerous other sporting, entertainment, convention and civic events. Representatives from the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, Atlanta Falcons, Invest Atlanta, and the Mayor’s office have been invited to the committee’s 1 p.m. meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February 13 in the City Council Chamber, (second floor) Atlanta City Hall, 55 Trinity Avenue, S.W. The briefing will take place immediately after consideration of the Committee’s agenda items. The committee has encouraged all members of the City Council to attend to hear from the representatives that have been a party to the negotiations. The goal is to get an overview and status report on the proposal. Council will then ask questions and determine what additional information is needed for future discussion. The committee expects this to be the first of many discussions on the issue that will take place prior to the Council’s consideration of any legislation. It has been reported that the city may be asked to approve $200 million of Hotel/Motel tax revenue to fund a new stadium with $800 in funding coming from Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank.

Source:
Michael Tyler
Atlanta City Council
Office of Communications
Atlanta City Hall

Police enforcement of existing laws is a problem when it comes to vendors.

There’s a rule against feedings of large groups — feeding of homeless
happen near Garnett MARTA. The rule is not being enforced by police,
and the result is a rat infestation of the area where food is not
cleaned up.

Michael Bond suggests residents coming Tuesday at 3pm to council
meeting to make sure everyone is aware of the residential neighborhood
downtown on vending issue. It’s a safety issue for residents.

Enforcement: police chief is only going to listen to his boss, the
Mayor. Calling the news outlets about enforcement problems helps,
helps because those reports put pressure on mayor to encourage
enforcement by police chief.

Bond seems to believe that downtown residents aren’t being vocal
enough to make their needs apparent to city government at large.

Cleta seems serious about ending all vending. Mentioned need to lift
up south side (south of Marietta Street) by ending vending at Five
Points.

Comment by resident: city is paying a cost for loss of property value
and tourist business because of unpleasant street environment around
vendors at Five Points. The hotel is affected at Five Points.

Michael Bond: If vending is ended do we have to pay off General Growth
for their loss of the kiosks? At this point contract with them has
been nullified but not ended.

Bond encourages us to communicate our concerns on vending and more
directly to the Mayor’s office.

Comment from resident: he’s sent many emails to mayor on panhandling.
He said it worked. The mayor was pressured to do something about
panhandling. Resident said that other residents are not making their
voices heard at public meetings, that only a couple of people showed
up to a hearing on panhandling. Susan later confirmed this about both
the panhandling meeting and the vendor meeting.

Fox Market: Cleta is aware via Kwanza Hall of drug activities at Fox
Market on Broad Street. Drug dealing in store and on sidewalk. Video
camera from APD has documented hundreds of arrests at Fox Market. AJC
did a report on underage alcohol sales. As a result, the store only
got a fine, not shut down.

Criminals of all kinds use Fox Market as a safehouse.

Cleta says she experiences same problems with stores in west end.

There’s a problem with GSU police not reporting crime to APD.
Morehouse does report crimes.

Attached is the zoning legislation and summary fact sheet for the sign ordinance text amendment to the Downtown SPI-1 district only. If this legislation is adopted it would require separate legislation (also attached) for City Council to adopt a temporary entertainment district associated with a particular event.

Any signage permit requests would have to comply with the sign ordinance requirements (i.e. the criteria and location restrictions). Refer to the fact sheet in the zoning legislation for an explanation of the signage approval process.

This legislation will be heard at the January 10, 2013 Zoning Review Board (ZRB) public hearing. Therefore, the Z-12-46 legislation will be placed on the December 10th NPU-M meeting agenda. Enrique Bascuñana, Atlanta City Planner, will be in attendance at this meeting to answer any questions.

Public Hearing September 10, 2012 at 6pmCity Hall Council Chambers, 55 Trinity Avenue

The Atlanta City Council Community Development/Human Resources (CD/HR) Committee will conduct a public hearing to receive comments on the 2013-2017 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) & Short Term Work Program (STWP).

Camille Love, Director of the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs

Woodruff Park Program

Kasim Reed, Mayor of the City of Atlanta

A.J. Robinson, President of Central Atlanta Progress/Atlanta Downtown Improvement District

George Dusenbury, City of Atlanta Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs

Geri Thomas, Georgia Market President for Bank of America

Pat Faust, President of Landscape Structures, Inc.

RSVP:

Before Friday, July 13 to phenman@atlantadowntown.com

PEDS, metro Atlanta’s pedestrian advocacy organization, has been working for years to encourage the City of Atlanta to replace its dysfunctional sidewalk maintenance program with one that works.Due to expensive claims paid to injured pedestrians, elected officials are starting to get the point. Let Atlanta City Council know you want accountability and action! Come to a public forum on the City of Atlanta’s sidewalk maintenance program:

Action Alert: the time for accountability on sidewalks is NOW!

Let Atlanta City Council know that you’ve waited long enough for responsible action on sidewalks. With last month’s record $3 million payout to a pedestrian injured after falling on a broken sidewalk, it’s past time for change.

Please add your voice to others asking for accountability and action in our upcoming public forum on the City of Atlanta’s sidewalk maintenance program:

Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell, Councilman Michael Julian Bond and Public Works Commissioner Richard Mendoza will participate in a panel discussion moderated by PEDS President & CEO Sally Flocks. We’ll include time for questions from the audience.

Your presence will let City Council members know that voters want the City to prioritize sidewalk maintenance – by replacing its dysfunctional sidewalk program and funding one that works.

Last Sunday’s Atlanta Journal Constitution reported on the failures in the present system.

At Atlanta Streets Alive last month, residents showed their support for safer sidewalks by supporting a PEDS petition composed of 180 signed footprints. A week later, volunteers helped us present the banner at an Atlanta City Council meeting.

Help keep up the momentum for policy change that enables the City to address the estimated $152 million backlog of broken sidewalks and missing or broken curb ramps. Please participate in the forum and ask your friends and neighbors to do so as well!